The natural surroundings of the watchpoint

The strait of Messina (Italian : Stretto di Messina) is the narrow passage – only 3,3 km wide - between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of the Italian mainland. It connects the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Ionian Sea. It is one of the hotspots for bird migration in Europe. Several watchpoints are used to do the survey, from the beach to the mountains.  

History of the survey and environmental issues

The survey started in 1984 as an anti-poaching camp. Nowadays, poaching is under control on the Sicilian side of the strait. We continue the survey not only for personal pleasure but also to gather precious data to improve the protection of the site, under continuous threat of various projects that are incompatible with the international importance of this migration bottleneck (the Messina bridge and wind farms).  

Ornithological interest, emblematic species

The commonest raptor on active migration is Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus). Many other species can be observed, however. Since 1984 no less than 40 raptor species have been observed here ! Each spring between 23,000 and 25,000 raptors pass the strait. 315 bird species have been observed in the area (including some of the last sightings of Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris).

• Amur Falcon (Falco amurensis) : extremely rare : 6 records - so far this is the only site in the Western Palearctic where this oriental species has been recorded.
• Black Kite (Milvus migrans) : best seasonal total 1008; most Black Kites cross at the Straits of Gibraltar.
• Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) : much less common than White Stork.
• Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) : two inds. in March 2001
• Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata): Sicily holds a small breeding population
• Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata)
• Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo), including regular observations of Steppe Buzzard (B. b. vulpinus)
• Crane (Grus grus)
• Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo)
• Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)
• Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)
• Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
• Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
• Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga)
• Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)
• Hen harrier (Circus cyaneus)
• Hobby (Falco subbuteo) : maximum of 276 inds. in spring
• Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus) : best spring total of 27,297 inds.
• Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
• Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) : maximum of 934 in spring
• Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) : observation of the rare and local subspecies feldeggii
• Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes)
• Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)
• Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina)
• Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus)
• Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) : maximum 1200 in a day !
• Merlin (Falco columbarius)
• Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus) : best seasonal total 866 inds.
• Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
• Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus) : 152 from March to May 2001
• Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) : regular observations of toundra race F. p. calidus
• Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) : over 7,000 inds. in 1992
• Red Kite (Milvus milvus)
• Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus): rare at this southern latitude
• Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)
• Short-toed Eagle (Circaetus gallicus)
• Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)
• Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis)
• Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax): rare vagrant from Africa
• White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) : sometimes over 700 in a season

Calendar

The survey runs between 1 April and 30 May.

Visitors

Volunteers from Europe and beyond are most welcome.  

Access

You can land at the airport of Catania and take a train or bus to Messina. From the central station of Messina there are bus services to several watchpoints. You will find a map with all watchpoints here.

Where to stay and where to eat?

The migration camp is hosted in a forestry house in the Peloritan Mountains.  It is also possible to stay at Messina, Villafranca or Torre Faro.

Contact

http://www.migrazione.it

Anna Giordano mailto:a.giordano@wwf.it Phone,  : +39-3358422029

Deborah Ricciardi mailto:mediterraneanatura@alice.it, Phone : +39-3297696176

Simonetta Cutini mailto:cappellaccia@gmail.com, Phone : +39-3397613464